THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Police Department that often exhorts the public to be vigilant against cyber frauds itself ended up a victim, with scammers swindling Rs 25,000 from the official account of Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner’s office.
The amount was lost after the cashier, who is responsible for handling the account, gave away the One-Time Password (OTP) by clicking an unverified link sent by the scammers.
Police sources said the incident occurred on December 18 and the account to which the amount was transferred has been blocked.
According to the FIR lodged by the City Cyber Police Station, the official account is drawn in the name of the accounts officer of the commissioner’s office. The cashier, who manages the transactions, received an SMS on his mobile number stating that the bank needed to update the ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) documents that day itself and that the account would be cancelled if they were not updated.
The cashier fell for the trick, clicked the link, and then furnished the OTP he received on his mobile number. Soon, the scammers withdrew the amount. The cashier soon understood the mistake and lodged an official complaint. The matter was duly reported to the national cyber crime reporting portal, following which the account to which the lost amount was transacted was blocked.
Senior police officials said the incident brought embarrassment to the Department that has been advocating safe cyber security practices among citizens.
“The incident has caught the department red-faced. However, it has got a positive side also as now everyone will be extra vigilant against cyber crimes,” said a senior official.
The department, from time to time, has issued circulars on the cyber etiquette to be followed by its personnel -- both uniformed and ministerial staff.
“There have been numerous circulars issued on the dos and don’ts that should be followed in the office. The cyber IG has issued a circular, apart from the Police Chief’s circular and the guidelines from the Union government. But it’s doubtful whether those circulars are being followed in full spirit,” said the official.